Transcription
[Music] Hey everyone, welcome back to Pod Chill. I'm Leo and I'm Gwen here hosting with Leo. Thanks for joining us.
We make English fun and easy for you and for new friends. This is the podcast where we make English learning feel simple and fun. And sometimes we get a little too excited about coffee. That's true. And today's topic is kind of like coffee, too. Something almost everyone needs. Yeah.
Because so many people tell us, "I understand English, but I can't speak fluently." And I think we need some tips to fix this problem. Imagine a common case. You can watch a whole Netflix show and understand most of it. But when you're in a real conversation, it's another story. Sometimes even a simple question can make your mind go blank. Right? Like if someone asks, "What did you do yesterday?" you know the answer in your head, but the words just don't come out right.
So, in this episode, we'll talk about why that happens and share six easy tips to help you speak with more confidence. Get your favorite drink ready. It doesn't have to be coffee like ours, just anything that makes you feel relaxed while listening. Yep. All right, then. Are you ready? Let's start right now.
[Music] Gwen, maybe saying this feels a bit funny, but I sometimes think listening to English is like watching soccer on TV. Wait, soccer? How so? Are we suddenly turning into a sports podcast? No. No. Hear me out. When you're watching, it feels easy. You can see the moves, understand what's happening, but you're not the one running after the ball. Oh, so you're comparing speaking English to playing football. Well, yeah. It makes it more fun. When you watch a soccer match, you just sit there with chips in your hand, but the moment you step on the field, boom, it's a whole different story. Sounds like some of us watching football at home and complaining the players are bad.
Anyway, that's a good picture because listening and reading are passive like sitting and watching, but speaking, writing, that's active. You need speed, quick reaction, and your brain has to create the words, not just catch them. Right? And that's where most learners get stuck. They think, "Well, I understand Netflix, so why can't I speak?" But it's like saying, "I've watched a thousand soccer games, so I must be good at playing." Yeah, we can see it doesn't work like that. So, let's get real. The biggest shock for learners is that gap between understanding and speaking. Yeah.
Like you hear someone say, "I went to the park yesterday." And then you get it. No problem at all. Right. But then it's your turn to answer and suddenly your brain is like, "Hold on. I want to say I went to the park, but is it go or went? Which one was correct again?" I totally know that feeling. When I was learning French, I had the same problem. Someone would ask me, "What did you eat for lunch?" And I knew the words, but my brain was stuck like, "Uh, how do I say it?" By the time I was ready, the moment was gone. That's such a good example. And I think English learners face the same thing because when you listen, your brain just has to recognize the words, but when you speak, you have to build the whole sentence yourself. Exactly. It's like in your head, you know the meaning, but your mouth is waiting for instructions. And while your brain is searching for the grammar, time is passing. That's right. And the longer you wait, the more awkward it feels. And speaking again doesn't feel right anymore. But the funny part is you actually know the words. You just can't put them together fast enough. It's not because you don't have enough knowledge. It's because you don't practice speaking in real time. And the cycle continues. You understand easily, but when you speak, your brain feels slow like a turtle.
And the point is, we often think of language as something in a book, but it's not just knowledge. It's a skill, right? Think about cooking. You can watch Gordon Ramsay's videos 10 times or read the same recipe over and over. But if you never step into the kitchen, you still can't cook. Yes. The first time you actually try cooking, maybe you burn the onions. The second time you add too much salt, but by the third time, you're already better. Practice is always stronger than theory. Same with swimming. You can read a book about how to move your arms and legs, but if you fall into a swimming pool, that book won't save you. Only your body, trained by practice, can. And music, too. You can listen to the most beautiful piano songs every day. But if you never put your hands on the keys, your fingers will never learn the movement. Language works in the same way. Listening and understanding are important, but they don't make you speak by themselves. Yes.
Because speaking is physical. It's not just about grammar in your head. It's also about your tongue, your lips, your breath, all working together. Language is also like muscle memory. Muscle memory means when you practice a lot, your body remembers how to do it, like riding a bike without thinking. Beautifully said. It's like your brain and your body need to train together, just like in any other skill. Exactly. Knowledge tells you what, but practice teaches you how. So, if you've been waiting to feel ready before you start speaking, remember you'll never be ready until you actually do it.
So, after all these examples, cooking, swimming, music, the message is clear. Language is a skill. You need practice, not just theory. Right. But you know what often makes it harder? That's our own psychology. Oh, please share more about that. Well, learners sometimes think I understand everything, so I must be good already until the moment they actually try to speak. Suddenly, silence. Ah, yes. It's like the words are stuck in the throat. Even though the brain knows the answer, the mouth freezes and fear makes it worse. The more you worry about mistakes, the harder it becomes to speak. That's true. It feels like standing on a stage in front of everyone. Even great musicians sometimes shake before a concert. But the difference is they practice their hands so much that even if they feel nervous, the music still keeps going. Same with speaking. If you practice speaking a lot, your mouth remembers what to do even when you're nervous. I love that comparison. Speaking is like exercising a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Yep. Understanding is mental knowledge, but speaking is a body skill. Your brain and mouth must work together like a team. If you don't practice, the team can't handle the pressure. So, the point is, don't only put information into your brain, you need to practice speaking with your mouth, too.
We already talked about why understanding and speaking are not the same and how people can feel nervous. Yes. But the good thing is there are ways to make speaking easier. So now please share the first tip, Gwen. I'm really excited to hear it. Sure, Leo. Tip number one is simple. Don't wait for perfect grammar. Oh, I hear this all the time. Some learners tell me, "I'll speak when my grammar is perfect." Really? And what happens then? Do they ever start speaking? Most of the time, no. They wait and wait. Oh, yeah. If you wait for perfect grammar, you may never open your mouth. True. It's like waiting until you can play piano without one wrong note, then you never touch the piano. Nice example. I'd say it's the same with cooking, too. If you wait until you never burn food, you'll never cook a meal. Yes. And in the end, mistakes are normal. People can still understand you. Like if you say, "Yesterday I go to the park." The grammar is wrong, but the meaning is clear. And sometimes those mistakes even make the moment fun. I remember a student once said, "I eat my homework yesterday." Everyone laughed, but we all understood. That's great.
Okay, now it's your turn to share with our buddies, Leo. You've been excited for a while now. All right, now it's my turn to shine. Let's move to tip number two. Learn chunks, not single words. Ah, let me explain a little bit about chunks. When we say chunks, we just mean short phrases people use all the time. Exactly. Like instead of only learning the word busy, you learn the phrase, I'm a bit busy right now. Or instead of only the word great, you use that sounds great. See, those little groups of words stay together in your brain. You don't have to build a sentence piece by piece. I sometimes call them Lego blocks. One block is not big, but many blocks together make something useful. Each block is like a chunk. You just drop it into the conversation. That's a good image. Like, I've got a lot on my plate. It means I am very busy. You don't need to stop and think, "How do I say I'm busy?" You just use the block. And it sounds natural because that's how native speakers actually talk. Do you remember that student who tried this in class? The one who kept saying "it's good" for everything. Yeah. After learning a few chunks, he started saying, "That works for me." Or, "I'm not so sure about that." Suddenly, his English sounded much more real. And he was faster, too, because he didn't have to create each sentence word by word. So, the tip is collect these small phrases, write them down, repeat them, and try using them in real life. Even if it's just talking to yourself, say it out loud so your mouth gets used to the sound. Over time, your brain will have ready English phrases. And that makes speaking smoother, quicker, and a lot more fun.
But here's the question. What if you don't have anyone to practice with every day? Then practice with the easiest partner you always have, yourself. Hm. That sounds a bit strange but interesting. It can feel strange, yes, but it really helps your mouth and brain to work together. Like we can ask ourselves simple questions like, "What do I want for dinner?" And then answer in English, right? Yep. And you can even play both roles in a short dialogue like, "Hello, can I have a coffee, please?" And then I have to answer as the barista. Exactly. "Sure. One coffee coming up." That actually sounds fun. But should people worry about speed? Not at the start. Just speak slowly and clearly so your mouth gets used to the sounds and then maybe repeat the same line a few times. Right. Yes. And each time change a little word like "I'm making coffee now." Then "I made coffee this morning." Ah, so it's a simple way to practice grammar without really studying grammar. Right. It's natural and light. Oh, that reminds me. I sometimes did this while brushing my teeth back when I first learned French. My family sometimes laughs when they hear me, but I just laugh too. That's the spirit.
But dear my friends, if you still want a partner to keep you company, like how I have Leo here, then don't worry. You can still have one. Your partner can be AI. Oh, right. AI can chat with you anytime, day or night. You can just start with, "Hi, I'm learning English. Can we talk?" And you can even ask, "Please correct my English" so you can get help while you are speaking or say, "Speak slowly with me" if you need more time to follow. The good thing is AI never gets tired. It's like having a super patient friend and you can practice all kinds of situations. Ordering food, small talk, even interviews. Well, I once tried a mock interview with AI. It felt strange, but it really helped me prepare. Yes. So, even if no one is around, you don't have to feel alone. With AI, you always have someone to practice with and no pressure at all.
You know, Gwen, practicing with AI is great, but sometimes people ask me, "How do I actually get faster and smoother when I speak?" Uh, I love that question because there's a simple trick teachers often use. It's called the 432 technique. 432? That sounds like a countdown. Do I fly to the moon after two? It's not about rockets, Leo. It just means three steps. First, you speak about one topic for 4 minutes. You can speak slowly and add details. Okay? For example, I can talk about my weekend for 4 minutes like step by step. How about the two part? In this last time, you only have two minutes. That makes you speak faster and more smoothly. Oh, I see. So each time I tell the story again, it gets easier and I can talk without stopping so much. Exactly. And you can also record yourself to hear your progress.
All right, we've shared many ideas and I think six tips is just right. Not too many so everyone can really practice. Yes, six is a perfect number to start with. This last tip is special because it's about making one simple sentence into many new sentences. Sounds interesting. Tell us more. Think of a sentence like plain rice. It's simple. But when you add different things, salt, sauce, vegetables, it becomes a new dish. Ah, so the sentence becomes more tasty. Exactly. For example, the plain rice is "I went to the store." Add time. "I went to the store yesterday." Then add reason. "I went to the store to buy bread." That's funny, Leo. See, one simple line can turn into many new ones or change the subject. "My sister went to the store" or anything you like. That's great. By practicing this, you train your brain to be flexible and fast. It also helps with tenses without making it boring. Plus, you can also practice with emotions. The same sentence can sound very different if you say it happy, angry, or tired. Let's try. First, say it happy. "I went to the store." Now, angry. "I went to the store!" Again and tired. "I went to the store." Just one line. But you train not only grammar, also tone and feeling. That makes your English sound more real, like everyday life. So don't be shy. Take one sentence and cook many new flavors with it.
So, Gwen, we finished six tips in one episode. I think it's just right. Easy to follow, not too much. Yes, enough for people to practice every day without feeling tired. My friends, don't forget that understanding and speaking are different. Exactly. And to speak well, you need to use your voice every single day, even if you make mistakes. Because mistakes are not the enemy, right? They are part of learning. Think of it like cooking or swimming. You only get better by actually doing it. And remember, talking, even with mistakes, is better than being quiet. I love that one. It gives courage. So, don't wait. Try using the tips we just shared and you will find your own answer to the question, "Why do you understand English but can't speak fluently?" and improve your speaking skill in the best way for you? And hey, if it works for you, don't forget to drop a little comment and tell us your story. That's all for today's episode. Thank you for spending time with us. Keep practicing. Keep smiling and remember, you are not alone on this journey. I'm Leo, the one who is always here with you. And I'm your friend, Gwen. Bye for now and happy speaking.
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